Author: laranettle

Conservation


About six months ago, I tested Inigo for his ability to understand the concept of conservation – if I pour a cup of water into a cup of water into a shallow, wide glass, and a cup of water into a tall, narrow glass, it looks different, but it’s still a cup of water.

Young children don’t get this, older children do. I tested him again today, and he got it straight away. Piaget did some pretty unethical things to his poor child in the name of science, but I understand the thrill!

– Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Home

Attempted Murder

My blog friend Behan is living the life we all secretly want, sailing the world and homeschooling/unschooling/natural learning with her kids on the way.  I read voraciously, because I am taking notes for my next holiday, and hope I can be as cool as her one day!

She recently confessed a love of anemone fish (which I share), so I promised her an anecdote about one of these guys on our first Vietnam trip.  I may have already shared it here, so look away if you don’t want to read it again, but I suspect my storytelling is slightly better this time – cross posted from Behan’s blog.

We were staying at a little island of Nha Trang in Vietnam (Whale Island).  I’m asthmatic, and though enthusiastic, not a confident snorkeler.  I couldn’t go out unless the bay was as flat as plate glass, because getting water down my snorkel was terrifying (the asthma has made me quite claustrophobic).

So one day, the water is a little too choppy for my liking (but I’m becoming more confident), and Mark is intent on exploring some new areas we hadn’t visited before.  My rented mask keeps letting in water, but only a bit at a time, so I put on my bog girl panties and decide to just deal with it.

Until…

Mark freedives down to look at an anemone, out of which darts the most aggressive anemone fish I have EVER seen.  It fully charged him, stopping only about 6 inches from his mask, to stare him down in as bold a manner as a Kings Cross bouncer.

At which point I cracked up, my laugh lines created a channel by which the sea water was able to stream into my mask, and the resultant hysterical laughter coupled with inhalation of seawater was a sight to behold.

Well played small fish, well played.

Genetics

Squish is doing really well at school. Last week he went up a few more reading levels, and is now at year two reading level. Socially, he is having a great time, his peers like him and he always has someone willing to play with him.

 

But for a while, I've had a nagging concern. At school, he is doing year one maths, but at home, he is exploring concepts far beyond his age level. Nothing astounding about that, given his fathers contribution genetically, but what I am seeing at home is at odds with where Mrs D has him in the classroom.

 

He's still “lazy” (for want of a better word!), and happy to coast along. He likes being the best in the class, but doesn't see any reason to put in effort. A trait that both his parents have in abundance.


Yesterday I had a chat with a friend from Uni who is studying primary education, and also works as a tutor. I explained the situation, and asked whether I should let it slide (because he is happy at school and not disruptive), or pursue it (so that he is set up for good experiences and habits at school). Unequivocally, she advised that we should make sure he was being challenged, and that it's not too early to encourage him to do his best.

 

Mark came with me to talk to Mrs D, and she agrees that he isn't being mathematically challenged in the classroom, but explained that it isn't possible for him to do group work at his level, and that she was concerned about removing him from his social group. But we've agreed that he won't miss anything if he does go to another class for a bit here and there, so she is going to talk to another teacher about him doing maths groups with a year two class.

 

Inigo will love it! I'm so excited for him, and I'm still so thrilled that he has such a wonderful caring teacher.